OPM, CIO Council to link IT training programs

The Office of Personnel Management and the CIO Council today recommended using five IT workforce training programs as the framework for an overall governmentwide curriculum.

In a report mandated by the E-Government Act of 2002, OPM said five training programs cover the core IT competencies as determined by the CIO Council:

The General Services Administration's CIO University

GSA's Strategic and Tactical Advocates for Results program

The Defense Department's Information Resources Management College

The Agriculture Department Graduate School

OPM's Federal Executive Institute and Management Development Centers.

'These are good programs, but we need to capitalize on them to achieve consistency,' said Mark Doboga, OPM's deputy associate director for talent and capacity policy. 'If they are properly linked, we can improve how we train IT professionals.'

Doboga said the report suggested using the CIO Council's IT Roadmap tool, which helps feds chart their career development.

About 500 employees have used the roadmap since the CIO Council launched it in July 2003, he said, and 425 of them have drawn up individual development plans.

The report also recommended using the IT Exchange program as part of the training framework. The program lets feds work in industry for a short period to improve their skills and then return to their government jobs. OPM released a proposed rule for the program in January. Doboga said OPM should have the final rule ready by Dec. 31.

Also, OPM will meet with the CIO Council to draft guidance to promote training performance standards and send the framework to the CIOs and chief human capital officers by Dec. 31, he said.